Little Wonders
by Goku's Donut
Summary: She just wanted to befriend him, but he just wanted to do his job. Part of the "Take Five" series.
1. Eye Contact

**i. Eye Contact**

* * *

It had been a little over a week since Lon'qu had been stationed as her bodyguard and with each passing day, Lissa was finding it harder and harder to approach him. She'd tried nearly every level of persistence she could think of when it came to befriending the brooding myrmidon – from idle chatter to outright trickery – and with each attempt came a degree of failure, something that set the otherwise exuberant blond teetering on the edge of explosion.

She'd voiced many a complaint about his offhanded attitude, questioning his adamancy in maintaining his distance from women, but with each inquiry came the same, monotonous answer.

"I find them… disconcerting," he'd said once, gaze settled on the empty blockade between them, "but it will not interfere with my duty."

And, true to his word, it _didn't_ interfere with his duty. Why, there was never a time nor place where Lissa could turn her head without seeing the flitting shadow of Lon'qu. Resting against a tree, a tent, maybe a boulder with his eyes closed and his arms crossed he'd be; one foot crossed over the other with ears that could rival even the mightiest of gossips of Ylisstol; quiet as a mouse, lips sealed tight as if he were sworn to secrecy; and nose upturned, eyebrows settled in its usual knot of indifference.

Yet, despite that reserved nature of his, he could close the distance in the blink of an eye, sword held tight in his hand as he'd cleave an enemy in two, never allowing a Risen or a thug to break that chain of protection he'd so quickly wrapped around her wrist.

Lissa was grateful, no doubt about that. Words alone could not express how much she appreciated Lon'qu's protectiveness; however, his attentiveness to his duty was what made things so difficult for her to befriend him. Innocent questions and cryptic responses were the essence of their relationship (if she could even call it that). Why, he wouldn't even shake her hand during their first, _real_ conversation, choosing instead to stare at it as if it were infested with warts or some unknown disease. She'd gotten him to compromise in the end – though, somewhat grudgingly – suggesting that they nod at each other instead; and while that had been a start – a very painful start – Lissa was still left feeling unsatisfied.

Because she couldn't _help_ but notice that while talking he didn't make eye contact, chestnut gaze settling on everything _but_ her.

Maribelle would've considered it the ultimate form of disrespect had she been present, but for Lissa, she considered it the starting point for their budding friendship as bodyguard and charge. While she _did_ try to push for _some_ type of dialogue between her and Lon'qu, she settled on trying to hold his gaze, if only for a few seconds.

So, one day, while she'd been fretting about camp with no particular aim in mind, she'd spotted Lon'qu resting against a tree, eyes closed, arms folded, and legs crossed in that reclusive way of his. Her mind reeled at the idea at _finally_ being able to penetrate his shield, so much that the Ylissean princess couldn't stop a smile from hugging her lips. Settling on a more leisurely pace (because she didn't want to appear _too_ eager and blow her chance), Lissa began to bound up to the hired hand, fingers clasped behind her back and jade eyes twinkling in innocent amusement; yet, for however quiet she was in her mission, it meant nothing when Lon'qu caught her.

She stilled, breath caught in her throat as she held her protector's gaze for what felt like an eternity. Cocoa bore into emerald, widening in bewilderment and reaching quirked eyebrows. Lon'qu's lip twitched ever so slightly, but words seemed incapable of escape as he fought back the panic settling on his shoulders; yet, it was Lissa who broke contact, cheeks staining pink, and, in a very Lon'qu-like manner, she lowered her gaze, murmured a frazzled statement, and rushed towards camp, hoping to calm the beat of her pounding heart.

* * *

**Author's Note**: This is a part of a drabble series called "Take Five," where I will be taking some of my favorite couples and writing five 500+ word prompts in regards to them. Lon'qu/Lissa are the first, and hopefully I'll be moving to Frederick/Sumia (it saddens me to know that they have such a small, almost non-existent fandom). Thank you for reading. :)


	2. Idle Talk

**ii. Idle Talk**

* * *

Clouds danced in her vision, floating casually across the sky without a care in the world, quietly shielding any who dared to venture outside. The softness of the grass combined with the sweet hum of Sumia's voice out in a neighboring flowerbed and the breath of the warm winds were enough to coax the princess into a dream-filled sleep.

It was rare for the Shepherds to earn a moment's worth of respite, what with the impending war threatening the borders of Ylisstol; yet, it was with this opportunity that Lissa chose not to think of it. Relaxation was the order of the day – at least, until Frederick managed to convince Chrom otherwise – and Lissa would sooner throw a tantrum than allow it to pass her by. She longed to retire her aching feet from the endless dirt roads leading back to the Halidom, whining and complaining and moaning with each passing second, as they'd been walking for hours, non-stop.

"Are we _there_ yet?" she'd groaned for the third time since they'd started their journey, grounding her staff into the dirt and leaning on it to catch her breath.

Frederick strained a smile. "We're but a day away from Ylisstol, milady. Please, try to be patient," he'd suggested, tightening his grip on the reins of his stallion with borderline _impatience_.

It was during her fifth complaint that her brother finally caved in, giving into her request to set up camp for the day; however, it went not without warning.

"We are to move out first thing in the morning, only stopping if there's an _emergency_ – and no, ducking off for a bee hive is _not_ an emergency, so put your hand down, Gaius – understand, Lissa?" Chrom'd informed her, but it all fell on deaf ears when his sister cried in joy, hugging him and racing towards Sumia, who she'd managed to tug into the grassy fields off road.

Lissa released a tranquil sigh, stretching her limbs as far as they could go, and mewled like a kitten as she curled deeper into the grass. A familiar air settled over her as a small smile nearly crept over her lips. She was getting better at sensing him.

"Why don't you come out of the shadows for once, Lon'qu, and unwind a little?" she teased, curling a lone flower between her fingers, lips upturned. "You've been guarding me around the clock all day! Aren't you tired?"

She heard him grunt.

"I'm fine," was his reply. "If I'm not mistaken, you were the only one in need of a break."

Lissa's smile dropped and she let her arm fall to the ground. "Sheesh! You make me sound as if I'm the bad guy," she pouted. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't the _only_ one who felt that way! I had everyone's best interest at heart too, you know! I mean, I could've _sworn_ I heard you grumbling _something_ behind me once."

"I was not!" he countered, raising his head from the ground to flash Lissa a frown.

Not quite used to his temper, Lissa jumped at his outburst. "I'm only joking, Lon'qu! I didn't mean to offend you," she said, rolling over to flash him a sincere, albeit nervous smile.

Lon'qu sighed; he could feel her gaze on him. It was enough to make him sink deeper against the tree he leaned on, eyebrows drawn low in thought. "Perhaps…," he started, "there is some truth to what you say; granted, I did _not_ grumble behind your back."

"See? I _knew_ you'd agree with me, eventually!" she laughed. "You should know that about me – ninety-five percent of the time, I'm always right!"

"And the other five percent?" he asked curiously, even though he didn't buy her proclamation.

Lissa lifted her chin from her laced fingers and tilted her head in thought. She giggled. "Why, I'm joking, of course!"

More like, she joked _a hundred percent_ of the time, but he decided to humor her, instead. "Shouldn't that qualify as being wrong, then?"

A rather unladylike snort escaped her nose. "No."

Silence filled the air as Lon'qu fought back the urge to smile.

"I think you're confused," he finally said.

"And _I_ think you're a grump!" she shot back quickly.

His eye twitched in response to her comeback and as he turned his head to meet her gaze, jaw settled in its signature frown, she burst into laughter, hiding her mouth behind a hand. He flushed, unsure if he should be offended by her insult or surprised by her outburst. He grit his teeth, released a deep breath, and closed his eyes once more.

"What's so funny?"

Lissa's laughter quieted as she stood to her feet, though she giggled in between words. "It's just that…I never imagined us talking like this. Does that mean we're gonna become best buds soon?"

This time, it was Lon'qu's turn to snort. "No."

"Jeez, crush a girl's dream, why don't you!" she huffed, stomping past him in aim for camp, her giddy mood all but gone. "Gods, you really _are_ a grump!"

Perhaps, he was a grump, but Lissa... was certainly something else.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Writing Lon'qu will be the death of me; however, Lissa is definitely easier to write. :D Thank you for reading.


	3. Flustered

**iii. Flustered**

* * *

"Why don't you smile?"

It was a question that caught him off guard, but despite his initial surprise, he managed to flash her his usual nonchalance. Lissa stood but a few feet away, hands wound loose behind her back with jade eyes that shone bright with curiosity. Her stare unnerved him as his fingers twitched slightly against his folded arms, and though he tried to hold her gaze, he'd ended up closing his eyes, not quite used to the idea of holding something so expressively naïve.

"Why would I?"

Lissa's nose wrinkled at his response. "Do you _always_ have to answer my questions with a question?" she asked, crossing her arms and turning her head away with a pout. "Would it _kill_ you to give me a straight answer for once?"

"No."

She looked affronted, flushing red in frustration to his answer, and curled her fists with a strained huff. He'd almost chuckled, but chose to keep a tight-lipped, almost invisible smirk, instead.

"Oh, _ha, ha!_" she mocked, bobbing her head with each fake laugh. "That's _very_ funny, Lon'qu. But, I'm serious! I've never _once_ seen you smile! It's as if you're a statue, forever stuck with a frown on your face. Doesn't your face hurt from all that frowning?"

He heaved a sigh. What would it take for this girl to cease with her absurd notions? Not a day went by where she didn't question him on his attitude, ranging from "Why are your eyes always narrowed like you want to kill somebody?" to "Don't you ever take a break? You're tenser than _Frederick_!" What would it take for her to realize that this was how he always looked? How he always walked, talked, and acted? That he was ordered to protect her, not act as if they were..."best buds?"

He _supposed_ she meant well. It wasn't as if she meant any harm, even if she happened to be borderline insulting half the time. He thought he'd be used to her by now, what with her constant smiles and cheerful demeanor, but the sad truth was, he wasn't. Not by a long shot. If anything, she put him on edge, jostling his nerves to the point of nausea, and it wasn't just because she tried to close the gap between them either. Even at their minimal distance of ten-to-twenty paces, he still felt somewhat unnerved by her presence.

Maybe it was the heat. _That would certainly explain everything_, he thought wryly, wiping his forehead free of sweat.

"My face does not hurt," he'd solemnly replied, refolding his arms. "I always look like this. If I allow my emotions to get the better of me then I will have failed as a warrior. Emotion is a sign of weakness."

Lissa harrumphed. "Then I guess I'm the weakest Shepherd on the team, then," she said, but that did nothing to curb her spirit as she all but smiled. Had Lon'qu been anyone else, he would've praised her for it, but he remained quiet, choosing instead to bask in the silence that befell them.

It didn't last long.

"Do you know _how_ to smile?"

"Is there a point to any of these questions?" he asked, dropping his arms to rest at his sides.

"Of _course_, there is!" she bellowed. "You're so uptight and you always seem so _angry_. I know it's your job to guard me and all, but that doesn't mean you can't be happy. Say?" she paused, earning his attention. "Why don't I teach you? It's really not that hard."

Whether it was from embarrassment or irritation, he was unsure, but Lon'qu could feel his face heat up. "That won't be necessary," he answered, almost flustered. "I'm fully capable of…performing the act on my own."

"Clearly, you aren't," she retorted, putting her fists to her hips and raising her nose high, "because all I see are frowns and snarls and sneers. Now, watch closely," she advised, placing her index fingers together with a straight face and positioning them in front of her lips.

Lon'qu watched as she pulled them apart, stretching both fingers until they were at the corners of her mouth and framing a small, albeit cheerful smile. She did it twice more, making sure to keep her gaze fixated on him, and when she was done, she grinned and gestured towards him.

"Now, you try!"

His eye twitched and this time he was sure he was flushed. "No."

Lissa slumped and whined, "But, I _just_ showed you how to do it! The _least_ you could do is put forth the effort and _try_! Gods, why do you have to be such a grump? Should I show you again, then?"

"No, stop. Don't," he warned, but it fell on deaf ears when she flashed him a beaming smile between her fingers, again and again and again. He hadn't the nerve to fight back his embarrassment, as his eye twitched once more and he shifted his gaze up and away from her.

When she finally did stop, Lon'qu was as red as a tomato, but its meaning was lost on Lissa.

"Hey, are you all right, Lon'qu? Your face is red and you're all sweaty," she said.

"I'm fine," he said sternly, blowing a breath from his nose.

"Are you sure? You're looking a bit pale." She took a step forward.

He shot her a look, crossing his arms again. "Keep your distance! I said I was fine!"

Lissa gasped, returned to her initial position, and threw her arms up in an exasperated gesture, pivoting on her feet to make off and away from him. "_Fine_, be that way! I was only trying to help!"

Once more, his expression was lost on the princess, as he fought the urge to raise a hand to cover the warmth invading his cheeks. Gods, this woman would certainly be the death of him if her assassins weren't.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This was my first time writing from Lon'qu's perspective and I _really_ hope I did his character justice. I watched his supports so many times. It would be a crime if I screwed him up. Also, did I mention how much fun it is to write Lissa? :D Thank you for reading!


	4. Appreciation

**iv. Appreciation**

* * *

The walk to her tent had been long and quiet and awkward.

Despite his injuries, Lon'qu managed to follow her, as silent and attentive as ever, with his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword and his other swinging almost mechanically by his side. Lissa held her staff to her chest; chin angled so that she was looking at the ground, watching her feet with each step she took. It was the only distraction she could provide herself at the moment, unless she wanted to turn around for a third time to chance a peek at her savior, and there were only so many times it'd go unwarranted before he questioned her.

Minutes prior to their trip back to camp, they'd been surrounded and very much outnumbered. Lon'qu had acquired an injury thanks to her, jumping in the way and shielding an arrow with his shoulder. She'd been too busy running off at the mouth to pay attention to her surroundings, but the guilt that came with seeing Lon'qu in pain had soared higher than anything she'd ever felt.

He'd said he followed orders, but at the end of the day, he protected her and that was all that mattered.

By the gods, she wanted to repay him as thanks, but Lissa could think of nothing that'd convey such… at least, nothing that Lon'qu would be willing to accept. A hug was out of the question, even if she wanted nothing more than to embrace him. Why, he wouldn't even let her heal his wounds! Was he really so repulsed by the idea of touching a woman that he wouldn't get treatment for his injuries? What if he was poisoned? What if he suffered from an insane amount of blood loss?

It wasn't as if her intentions were impure. She genuinely wanted to help him and the fact that he turned her away made her heart ache, a lot more than she was willing to admit if she were being completely honest; still, she supposed some good had come of their run-in with her killers. By the end of it all, he'd agreed, albeit a little reluctantly, to her visits, and with a hint of a smile no less. That was more than enough thanks on her part if he was willing to set aside his dislike for women just to allow her to talk with him, right? Right…, but then, why was she feeling so…_unconvinced_?

When they'd finally made it to her tent, Lissa still had her head bent, wringing her staff nervously in her hands. Lon'qu stood behind her, surveying the area with a watchful eye.

"You should be safe now," she finally heard him say behind her. He turned on his heel, most likely in aim for the healing tent. "I'll let Chrom know that I have successfully disposed of your assassins. I guess… I'll… see you around, then," he murmured, almost bashfully.

Lissa tightened her grip on her staff, closing her eyes as she finally came to a decision, and turned around just as Lon'qu prepared to walk off. "Wait, Lon'qu!"

He paused and turned to meet determined eyes. Slightly baffled by her change in demeanor, the myrmidon raised an eyebrow in question. "What?"

She took a deep breath. "I…," Lissa faltered, but she shook her head and continued with an unwavering smile. "I know that you were just following orders, but I just wanted to say thank you, for saving my life."

Lon'qu was hesitant to respond as he stared at her, but in the end, he closed his eyes, turned his back towards her, and muttered, "You're welcome."

Lissa couldn't stop a smile from claiming her lips. "I'll be waiting for you!"

"_W-what?!_" he sputtered, whipping around to look at the princess as if she'd just grown a second head. "I thought I told you-"

"In the _healing tent_, Lon'qu," she finished with a giggle, gesturing to the tent with her staff. She frowned playfully. "As if I'm gonna let you walk around all bloody and bruised! You just saved my life, after all! I have to repay the favor _somehow_!"

Lon'qu could feel his face heat up. He didn't say another word as he marched off towards Chrom's tent, not that Lissa could complain, as she flushed a pretty shade of pink on her way towards the healing tent.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Goodness, I just _love_ Lon'qu and Lissa. I can just imagine his reactions to her cheerful outbursts - he'd be so _embarrassed_! She intentionally said she would be waiting for him by the way. ;D

Originally, this was titled 'Touch,' where Lissa would tend to his wounds, despite his protests, but it just wasn't clicking, so I wrote this, instead. Only one more chapter and then I can move to the next couple. :) Thank you for reading.


	5. Budding

**v. Budding**

* * *

"No more distance," he repeated with a smile, small and shy and reserved.

Lissa's eyes lit up in return. She ground her staff on the floor of his tent, nerves jittery with excitement as Lon'qu hesitantly took her right hand in his and slipped the ring on her finger. She could feel his unease as he held her hand, and while Lissa wanted to engulf him in a hug and smother him in tears and kisses of unbound joy, she knew he'd already taken a huge step in regards to her request.

Instead, she juggled her staff underneath her arm as best she could and lay a small, placating hand over his with a radiant smile.

"I said no more distance, but I'm not gonna push you to do anything you don't want to do," she assured him. She flushed a pretty pink, but managed to laugh it off when she looked him in the eye. "Even if I want nothing more than to throw myself into your arms right now!"

He nodded his head with a grunt, unable to give her an answer in fear of stuttering out something embarrassing, and tinged his own share of red as he raised his free hand to smooth his knuckles over her cheek. The gesture was small, but the meaning was not lost, and Lissa smiled in contentment.

"Thank you, Lissa."

* * *

**Author's Note:** And that concludes "Little Wonders." I wanted so much to make this longer, but in fear of ruining what little I wrote, I left it as is. Sorry. Maybe later on down the line, I'll make another drabble series of these two, or something. I didn't want to make Lon'qu do anything OOC. Thank you for reading. :)


End file.
